U.S. patent application number 13/173313 was filed with the patent office on 2012-04-26 for templates for displaying data.
This patent application is currently assigned to MICROSOFT CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Jonathan Thomas Campbell, Zhenguang Chen, Anthony Lawrence Jackson, Ping Jiang, Arun Krishnamoorthy, Boxin Li, Charles Reeves Little, II, Charles Keller Smith, Brian William Timm, Andrew Joseph Violino, Kerem Yuceturk.
Application Number | 20120102095 13/173313 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45973842 |
Filed Date | 2012-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120102095 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Campbell; Jonathan Thomas ;
et al. |
April 26, 2012 |
Templates For Displaying Data
Abstract
A client device presents a resource to a user. In order to
present the resource, the client device generates and renders one
or more presentation strings. The client device generates a
presentation string by identifying a template module that
corresponds to an content resource object in a dataset downloaded
by the client device. The client device then performs a template
execution operation on the content resource object. The template
module corresponding to the content resource object specifies the
template execution operation.
Inventors: |
Campbell; Jonathan Thomas;
(Redmond, WA) ; Chen; Zhenguang; (Sammamish,
WA) ; Jackson; Anthony Lawrence; (Seattle, WA)
; Jiang; Ping; (Redmond, WA) ; Krishnamoorthy;
Arun; (Sammamish, WA) ; Li; Boxin; (Sammamish,
WA) ; Little, II; Charles Reeves; (Bellevue, WA)
; Smith; Charles Keller; (Seattle, WA) ; Timm;
Brian William; (Seattle, WA) ; Violino; Andrew
Joseph; (Seattle, WA) ; Yuceturk; Kerem;
(Seattle, WA) |
Assignee: |
MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Redmond
WA
|
Family ID: |
45973842 |
Appl. No.: |
13/173313 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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61405067 |
Oct 20, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/203 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/958 20190101;
G06F 16/2455 20190101; G06F 16/245 20190101; G06F 16/248 20190101;
G06F 16/9535 20190101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/203 |
International
Class: |
G06F 15/16 20060101
G06F015/16 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: presenting, by a client device, a first
resource to a user, wherein presenting the first resource
comprises: receiving a first dataset, the first dataset comprising
at least a given content resource object; identifying a first
template module that corresponds to the first dataset; downloading
the first template module; and generating a first presentation
string for the given content resource object by performing a
template execution operation on the given content resource object,
the template execution operation specified by the first template
module.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first template module
comprises computer-executable instructions, execution of the
computer-executable instructions in the first template module by
the client device causing the client device to perform the template
execution operation specified by the first template module.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the given content resource object
belongs to a given content resource object type; and wherein
presenting the first resource further comprises: downloading a
first schema to the client device, the first schema specifying
allowable contents for the first dataset, the first schema mapping
the given content resource object type to the first template
module; and determining, based on the first schema mapping the
given content resource object type to the first template module,
that the first template module corresponds to the given content
resource object.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: presenting a second
resource, wherein presenting the second resource comprises:
downloading a second dataset, the second dataset comprising at
least a second content resource object, the second content resource
object belonging to the given content resource object type;
downloading a second schema, the second schema specifying allowable
contents for the second dataset, the second schema mapping the
given content resource object type to a second template module;
determining, based on the second schema mapping the given content
resource object type to the second template module, that the second
template module corresponds to the second content resource object;
downloading the second template module to the client device, the
second template module specifying a second template execution
operation; and generating a second presentation string by
performing the second template execution operation on the second
content resource object.
5. The method of claim 3, further comprising: presenting a second
resource, wherein presenting the second resource comprises:
downloading a second dataset, the second dataset comprising a
second content resource object, the second content resource object
belonging to the given content resource object type; downloading a
second schema, the second schema specifying allowable content
resource object types for the second dataset, the allowable content
resource object types for the second dataset being different than
the allowable content resource object types for the first dataset,
the second schema mapping the given content resource object type to
the first template module; determining, based on the second schema
mapping the given content resource object type to the first
template module, that the second template module corresponds to the
second content resource object; and generating a second
presentation string by performing the template execution operation
on the second content resource object.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the given content resource object
contains a child content resource object; and wherein the method
further comprises: determining that a second template module
corresponds to the child content resource object; and downloading
the second template module to the client device; and wherein
generating the first presentation string for the given content
resource object comprises: generating a presentation string for the
child content resource object by performing a second template
execution operation on the child content resource object, the
second template execution operation specified by the second
template module; and including the presentation string for the
child content resource object into the first presentation
string.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating the first presentation
string for the given content resource object further comprises:
including a pre-determined string into the first presentation
string for the given content resource object.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first presentation string for
the given content resource object conforms to a Hypertext Markup
Language (HTML).
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing the first
template module in a cache at the client device; and presenting a
second resource, wherein presenting the second resource comprises:
downloading a second dataset, the second dataset including at least
a second content resource object; determining that the first
template module corresponds to the second content resource object;
retrieving the first template module from the cache; and generating
a presentation string for the second content resource object by
performing a the template execution operation of the first template
module on the given content resource object.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first template module
specifies the template execution operation as a set of JavaScript
instructions.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises
sending a search request to a server system; and wherein the first
content resource object corresponds to a given resource that
satisfies a search string in the search request and the second
content resource object corresponds to a title of the given
resource.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the first resource
further comprises: sending a resource request to a server system;
receiving base resource data in response to the resource request,
the base resource data comprising a content generation script; and
performing the content generation script, wherein performing the
content generation script causes the client device to send a
dataset request to the server system, the dataset request
requesting the first dataset.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the first resource
further comprises: sending a resource request to a server system,
the resource request requesting a copy of the first resource; and
receiving base resource data from the server system in response to
the resource request, the base resource data comprising the first
dataset.
14. A computing device that comprises: a processing system that
reads computer-executable instructions from one or more
computer-readable media and executes the computer-executable
instructions, execution of the computer-executable instructions by
the processing system causing the computing device to: download a
dataset to the computing device, the dataset containing a plurality
of content resource objects; download template modules
corresponding to the plurality of content resource objects;
generate presentation strings for the plurality of content resource
objects by performing template execution operations on the
plurality of content resource objects, the template execution
operations specified by the template modules corresponding to the
plurality of content resource objects; and present an interface to
a user of the computing device by rendering the presentation
strings.
15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein execution of the
computer-executable instructions causes the computing device to:
send a resource request to a server system, the resource request
requesting the interface; and perform a content generation script
contained in base resource data received by the computing device in
response to the resource request, the content generation script
causing the computing device to: download the dataset and generate
the presentation strings.
16. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the dataset comprises
content resource objects in addition to the plurality of content
resource objects.
17. The computing device of claim 14, wherein execution of the
computer-executable instructions by the processing system causes
the computing device to: download a schema to the computing device,
the schema specifying allowable content resource object types for
the dataset, the schema mapping content resource objects types to
template modules; determine, based on the schema, the template
modules corresponding to the plurality of content resource objects;
and download the template modules corresponding to the plurality of
content resource objects after determining the template modules
corresponding to the plurality of content resource objects.
18. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the dataset is
formatted in XML and the presentation strings are formatted in
HTML.
19. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the interface is a
webpage.
20. A computer storage medium that stores computer-executable
instructions, execution of the computer-executable instructions by
a processing system of a computing device causing the computing
device to: send a resource request to a server system, the resource
request requesting a copy of a webpage; receiving base resource
data from the server system in response to the resource request,
the base resource data comprising a content generation script; run
the content generation script, the content generation script
causing the computing device to: download a dataset, the dataset
comprising a plurality of content resource objects, the plurality
of content resource objects belonging to a plurality of content
resource object types; download a schema that specifies allowable
content resource object types for the dataset, the schema further
mapping content resource object types to template modules;
identify, based on the schema mapping the content resource object
types to the template modules, template modules corresponding to
the plurality of content resource objects; for each content
resource object in the plurality of content resource objects,
generate a presentation strings for the content resource object by
performing a template execution operation of the template module
that corresponds to the content resource object; and render the
presentation strings to present the webpage.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 61/405,067, filed Oct. 20, 2010, the entire
content of which is hereby incorporated by reference, and is
related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket
No. 14917.1812USU1/331879.01, titled "Result Types for Conditional
Data Display," filed on Jun. 30, 2011, and U.S. patent application
Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket No. 14917.1871USU1/333071.01,
titled "Customization of Display Templates," filed on Jun. 30,
2011, the entirety of each of which is incorporated by reference
herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] As computer networks and computers have increased in speed
and complexity, web designers have been able to create increasingly
complex websites. Such complex websites can provide greater utility
to users and can be more visually compelling. However, complex
websites can be more difficult and expensive to design.
[0003] Moreover, it can be difficult and expensive to make changes
to such complex websites after they are designed. For example, a
website may utilize data from a given database. In this example,
multiple parts of the website may need to be redesigned if a schema
of the database is changed to include additional properties. In
another example, a designer may want to change an appearance of a
feature that appears in multiple webpages in a website. In this
example, the designer may need to change separate pieces of code
associated with each of the webpages.
SUMMARY
[0004] A client device presents a resource in a website to a user.
For example, the client device can present a webpage to the user.
In order to present the resource, the client device renders one or
more presentation strings. The client device generates the
presentation strings by identifying template modules that
correspond to objects in a dataset downloaded by the client device.
The client device then performs template execution operations on
the objects. The template modules corresponding to the objects
specify the template execution operations. Because the template
modules are separate from the dataset, the template modules can be
modified individually without changing other aspects of the
website.
[0005] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed
subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example
system.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating example details of a
server system.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating example details of a
client device.
[0009] FIG. 4 is illustrates a flowchart for an example operation
of the client application and a flowchart for an operation
performed when a content generation script is performed.
[0010] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart for an example template
execution operation and a flowchart for an example operation to
generate a presentation string for a child context object.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a screen illustration of an example search results
interface.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an alternate example
system.
[0013] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating example components of
the alternate embodiment of the server system.
[0014] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example unfilled
template.
[0015] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation of
the server system.
[0016] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example
transformation operation to generate a template module from a
generic presentation string.
[0017] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation of
an editor application.
[0018] FIG. 13 is a screen illustration showing a browser window
containing an example search interface presented by the client
device.
[0019] FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating example components
of another alternate embodiment of the server system.
[0020] FIG. 15 illustrates example content of a content index and
example contents of an admin database.
[0021] FIG. 16 illustrates an example scope hierarchy.
[0022] FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation to
configure a result type.
[0023] FIG. 18 is a screen illustration of a browser window
containing an example type configuration interface.
[0024] FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation to
search for resources in a target website.
[0025] FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating example components
of a computing device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] The following detailed description and the attached figures
illustrate example embodiments. The reader will understand that
other embodiments exist and are within the scope of the attached
claims. In the attached figures, stacked blocks represent one or
more similar, but not necessarily identical, items. In addition,
ellipses between items represent one or more similar, by not
necessarily identical, items. Items having the same reference
numbers with different alphabetical suffixes (e.g., "A" through
"N") are not intended to indicate the existence of a specific
number of items.
[0027] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example system
100. As illustrated in the example of FIG. 1, the system 100
comprises a server system 102, a client device 104, and a network
106. In other embodiments, the system 100 can include more or fewer
components. For example, some embodiments of the system 100 include
client devices in addition to the client device 104.
[0028] The server system 102 and the client device 104 each
comprise one or more computing devices. A computing device is a
physical device for processing information. In various embodiments,
the server system 102 and the client device 104 comprise various
types of computing devices. For example, the server system 102
and/or the client device 104 can comprise one or more personal
computers, standalone server devices, laptop computers, blade
server devices, smart phones, tablet computers, network-enabled
televisions or television set top boxes, game consoles, telephones,
in-car computers, appliances, intermediate network devices, and/or
other types of computing devices.
[0029] The network 106 facilitates communication between the client
device 104 and the server system 102. In the example of FIG. 1, the
network 106 is represented as a cloud. However, the network 106 can
comprise various numbers of computing devices and links between the
computing devices. In various embodiments, the network 106 can be
structured in various ways. For example, the network 106 can be the
Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a metropolitan area
network, a wide area network, or another type of network. In some
instances, some links within the network 106 are wireless and other
links within the network 106 are wired.
[0030] A user 108 uses the client device 104. The user 108 can be
various types of people. For example, the user 108 can be an
employee of a company or a partner of that company. In another
example, the user 108 can be a member of the general public.
[0031] The client device 104 provides a client application 110. In
various embodiments, the client application 110 comprises various
types of applications. For example, the client application 110 can
be a web browser application, such as INTERNET EXPLORER.RTM. from
Microsoft Corp., FIREFOX.RTM. from the Mozilla Foundation, or
CHROME.RTM. from Google, Inc. In another example, the client
application 110 can be a productivity application, such as a word
processor application, a spreadsheet application, a slide
presentation application, and so on.
[0032] The server system 102 hosts at least one website 112. In
other words, the server system 102 provides functionality that
enables clients to access resources in the website 112. The website
112 comprises a plurality of resources that can be accessed through
a network, such as the network 106. For example, the website 112
can comprise webpages, word processor documents, PDF documents,
spreadsheet documents, presentation documents, data sources, and
other types of resources.
[0033] In various embodiments, the website 112 can be various types
of website. For example, the website 112 can be a public Internet
website for a company. In another example, the website 112 can be a
private internal intranet website for a company. In yet another
example, the website 112 can be a private collaboration website
accessible by employees of multiple companies.
[0034] The client application 110 sends resource requests to the
server system 102. The resources requests comprise requests to
access resources in the website 112. In response to the resource
requests, the server system 102 sends resource data to the client
device 104. The client application 110 processes the resource data
to present the resources to the user 108.
[0035] As described in detail elsewhere in this document, when the
client application 110 sends a request for some resources in the
website 112, the client application 110 receives a dataset and a
set of template modules. The dataset comprises a set of objects.
Each of the objects belongs to a content resource object type. For
example, the dataset can include an object that belongs to a "phone
number" content resource object type and an object that belongs to
a "street address" content resource object type. Multiple elements
in the dataset can have the same element type.
[0036] The template modules correspond to different content
resource object types. For example, the dataset can include a
content resource object that belongs to a "phone number" content
resource object type and a content resource object that belongs to
a "street address" content resource object type. In this example,
the set of template modules includes a template module that
corresponds to the "phone number" content resource object type and
a template module that corresponds to the "street address" content
resource object type.
[0037] The template modules specify conversion operations. A
template module's template execution conversion operation, herein
referred to as a template execution operation, transforms a
conversion script which may be a collection of template modules
into a presentation string when given an object belonging to the
content resource object type corresponding to the template module.
The presentation string is a character string that the client
application 110 can render to create one or more onscreen
features.
[0038] In various embodiments, presentation strings can conform to
various presentation languages. For example, in some embodiments,
the presentation strings conform to the Hypertext Markup Language
(HTML). In other example, the presentation strings conform to a
non-standardized language.
[0039] The client application 110 performs the template execution
operations specified by the corresponding template modules on the
content resource objects in the dataset. For example, the dataset
can include an object that belongs to a "phone number" content
resource object type. In this example, a given template module
corresponds to the "phone number" content resource object type. In
this example, the client application 110 generates a presentation
string for the object by performing the template execution
operation specified by the given template module. In this way, the
client application 110 generates presentation strings needed to
render a resource.
[0040] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating example components of
the server system 102. As illustrated in the example of FIG. 2, the
server system 102 comprises a data storage system 200. The data
storage system 200 comprises one or more computer storage media.
The term "computer storage media" encompasses devices or articles
of manufacture that store computer-readable data or instructions.
In some embodiments, the computer storage media in the data storage
system 200 are geographically dispersed. In other embodiments, the
computer storage media in the data storage system 200 are located
within a single device or data center.
[0041] The data storage system 200 stores data for subsequent
retrieval. The data storage system 200 stores content resources
202, metadata 204, a schema 208, and template modules 206A-206N
(collectively, "template modules 206"). The content resources 202
can include some or all of the resources of the website 112. For
example, the content resources 202 can include web page documents,
word processor documents, PDF documents, digital images, video,
spreadsheet documents, and so on.
[0042] The metadata 204 comprises data regarding the content
resources 202. For example, the content resources 202 can include a
word processor document. In this example, the metadata 204 can
include data indicating an author, a creation time, a modified
time, a title, and a summary of the word processor document.
[0043] Each of the template modules 206 comprises a set of software
instructions that specifies a template execution operation. The
template execution operations take objects in datasets and generate
corresponding presentation strings. In various embodiments, the
software instructions can conform to various programming languages.
For example, the software instructions in one or more of the
template modules 206 can conform to the JavaScript programming
language. In other words, one or more of the template modules 206
can specify the template execution operations as sets of JavaScript
instructions. In another example, the software instructions in the
template modules 206 can conform to the Perl programming
language.
[0044] Some embodiments store the template modules 206 in template
module files. In some such embodiments, the template module files
have file name extensions that correspond to the programming
language used in the template modules 206. For example, if one of
the template modules 206 contains software instructions conforming
to the JavaScript programming language, the template module file
containing the template module can have the file name extension
".js".
[0045] The schema 208 specifies allowable content resource types in
datasets sent by the server system 102 to the client device 104. In
various embodiments, the schema 208 specifies that various content
resource types are allowable in the datasets. For example, the
schema 208 can specify that datasets must include a collection of
content resource objects belonging to a certain content resource
type. In this example, the schema 208 can specify that the
collection of content resource objects includes one or more objects
belonging to a "person" content resource type. In this example, the
schema 208 can further specify that content resource objects
belonging to the "person" content resource type include a "name"
content resource object or data element, which is of a string
content resource object type or data element type, a "phone number"
content resource object or data element belonging to a "phone
number" content resource object type or data element type, and a
"street address" content resource object or data element belonging
to a "location address" content resource object type or data
element type. The term "content resource object" will herein be
used to describe a data element (e.g., name, phone number, street
address, etc.) of a specified content resource type (e.g., "person"
content resource type) in a dataset. The term "content resource
object type" will herein be used to describe a type of a content
resource object (e.g., a string, a phone number, a location
address, etc.).
[0046] Furthermore, the schema 208 maps content resource object
types to the template modules 206. Continuing the example of the
previous paragraph, the schema 208 can map the top-level collection
in the dataset to the template module 206A, map the "person"
content resource type to the template module 206B, map the
"location address" content resource object type to the template
module 206N, and so on.
[0047] In various embodiments, the schema 208 is formatted in
various ways. For example, in some embodiments, the datasets sent
by the server system 102 are formatted as XML. In this example, the
schema 208 can be formatted in Document Type Definition (DTD)
language, the XML Schema language, the RELAX NG language, or
another schema language for XML. In other embodiments, the datasets
are not formatted as XML and the schema 208 is formatted using
other schema definition languages.
[0048] In addition to the data storage system 200, the server
system 102 provides a web server 210. Some embodiments of the
server system 102 provide the web server 210 by executing
instructions stored on one or more computer storage media. The web
server 210 is configured to provide resources hosted by the server
system 102 to the client application 110 in response to resource
requests. For example, the web server 210 can provide the content
resources 202, data sets, the template modules 206, the schema 208,
and other resources in response to resource requests.
[0049] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating example details of
the client device 104. As illustrated in the example of FIG. 3, the
client device 104 comprises a cache 300 and the client application
110.
[0050] When the client application 110 receives content resources
202, the template modules 206, or the schema 208, the client
application 110 stores copies of the content resources 202, the
template modules 206, and the schema 208 in the cache 300. Various
embodiments implement the cache 300 in various ways. For example,
some embodiments implement the cache 300 as a folder or directory
in a file system. Other example embodiments implement the cache 300
as a relational database.
[0051] FIG. 4 is illustrates a flowchart for an example operation
400 of the client application 110 and a flowchart for an operation
450 performed when a content generation script is performed.
Various embodiments of the client application 110 can perform the
operation 400 in response to various events. For example, the
client application 110 can perform the operation 400 when the user
108 enters a URL in an address bar of the client application 110.
In another example, the client application 110 can perform the
operation 400 when the user 108 selects a link in another
webpage.
[0052] After the operation 400 starts, the client application 110
sends a resource request to the web server 210 (402). The resource
request requests a user interface, such as a webpage in the website
112. In various embodiments, the resource request conforms to
various protocols. For example, in some embodiments, the resource
request conforms to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). In
other example embodiments, the resource request conforms to another
protocol, such as SOAP.
[0053] The client application 110 receives base resource data from
the web server 210 in response to the resource request (404). The
base resource data includes a content generation script. When the
client application 110 performs the content generation script, the
content generation script inserts content into the user
interface.
[0054] In various embodiments, the base resource data comprises
various data in addition to the content generation script. For
example, the base resource data can comprise HTML data, additional
scripts, and so on.
[0055] After the client application 110 receives the base resource
data, the client application 110 performs the content generation
script in the base resource data (406). Performance of the content
generation script causes the client application 110 to generate a
presentation string. After the client application 110 generates the
presentation string, the client application 110 renders the
presentation string (408). Rendering the presentation string
comprises rendering presentation strings within the presentation
string. When the client application 110 renders presentation
strings, the client application presents sets of on-screen features
to the user 108.
[0056] In some embodiments, performance of the content generation
script causes the client application 110 to perform the operation
450. After the operation 450 starts, the client application 110
sends a dataset request (452). The dataset request comprises a
request for a dataset. In response, the web server 210 generates
the dataset and sends the dataset to the client application 110.
Subsequently, the client application 110 receives the dataset
(454). In other words, the client application 110 downloads the
dataset.
[0057] In various embodiments, the web server 210 generates the
dataset in various ways. For example, the web server 210 can use
the content resources 202 and/or the metadata 204 to generate the
dataset. In this example, the content resources 202 can include
entries in a company's employee directory. In this example, the
resource request can comprise a search query for employees having
the last name "Jones." In this example, the web server 210 obtains
a list of search results. The search results are ones of the
content resources 202 that satisfy the search query. In this
example, the web server 210 generates a dataset that contains data
regarding the search results. For instance, in this example, the
web server 210 can generate the following dataset:
TABLE-US-00001 Search_Results { Person { Name::Steven Jones;
Email_addr::sjones@contoso.com; } Person { Name::Jane Jones;
Email_addr:jjones@contoso.com } }
[0058] As mentioned above, the dataset comprises one or more
collections of content resource types containing content resource
objects. In some instances, other collections of content resource
types are nested in the content resource objects of the content
resource types in the top level dataset. In other words, the
content resource objects in the collections of the top level
dataset can contain child objects of simple or complex content
resource object types. In the example dataset shown above, the
"Search_Results" object is a data collection in the top level
dataset. The two "Person" content resource types are contained in
the "Search_Results" collection. The "Name" content resource object
and the "Email_addr" content resource object are content resource
objects of the "Person" content resource type.
[0059] In other embodiments, the client application 110 does not
generate the dataset request. In such embodiments, the base
resource data can include the dataset.
[0060] In addition, the client application 110 generates a schema
request (456). The schema request comprises a request for the
schema 208. In other embodiments, the client application 110 does
not generate schema requests. In such embodiments, the base
resource data includes the schema 208.
[0061] When the client application 110 generates the schema
request, the client device 104 determines whether the cache 300
includes a copy of the schema 208. If the cache 300 does not
include a copy of the schema 208, the client device 104 forwards
the schema request to the web server 210. The web server 210
returns the schema 208 to the client device 104 in response to the
schema request. In other words, the client device 104 downloads the
schema 208. The client device 104 then provides the schema 208 to
the client application 110. On the other hand, if the cache 300
stores a copy of the schema 208, the client device 104 provides the
copy of the schema 208 to the client application 110. In either
case, the client application 110 receives the schema 208 (458).
[0062] After the client application 110 receives the dataset and
the schema 208, the client application 110 uses the schema 208 to
identify a template module that corresponds to the type and a level
of the content resource types and content resource objects of the
dataset (460). As mentioned above, the schema 208 maps resource,
level and content resource object types to the template modules
206. The client application 110 uses the schema 208 to identify the
template module that corresponds to the type and level of the
content resource types and content resource objects by determining,
due to the schema 208 mapping a given template module to a content
resource type or level or content resource object type, that the
given template module corresponds to a current template execution
operation on the dataset. For ease of explanation, this document
can refer to a current content resource object or data element at a
current level as a current context object, and the template module
that corresponds to the current context object as that object's
template module.
[0063] After identifying the current context object's template
module, the client application 110 generates a template request
(462). The template request comprises a request for the current
context object's template module. When the client application 110
generates the template request, the client device 104 determines
whether the cache 300 stores the current context object's template
module. If the cache 300 does not store the current context
object's template module, the client device 104 does not forward
the template request to the web server 210. Rather, the client
device 104 provides the cached copy of the current context object's
template module to the client application 110 in response to the
template request. Otherwise, if the cache 300 does not store the
current context object's template module, the client device 104
sends the template request to the web server 210. Subsequently, the
client device 104 receives the current context object's template
module from the web server 210. In other words, the client device
104 downloads the current context object's template module. In
either case, the client application 110 receives the current
context object's template module in response to the template
request (464).
[0064] After the client application 110 receives the current
context object's template module, the client application 110
generates a presentation string for the current context object
(466). The client application 110 generates the presentation string
for the current context object by performing the template execution
operation of the current context object's template module on the
current context object. As mentioned above, the presentation string
can comprise HTML data. In some instances, the presentation string
can also comprise one or more scripts.
[0065] The client application 110 can perform the operation 400.
Between times that the client application 110 performs the
operation 400, the schema 208 can change. For example, an
administrator can change the schema 208 to change the allowable
content resource object types in datasets generated by the server
system 102. Consequently, in this example, when the client
application 110 performs the operation 400 again, the client
application 110 can download a dataset that includes one or more
objects belonging to content resource object types that were not
previously allowable. Because the template modules 206 are separate
from the schema, a developer may only need to update the template
modules corresponding to the changed object types and not other
ones of the template modules 206.
[0066] In another example, an administrator can change the schema
208 to change the mappings between object types and template
modules. Consequently, in this example, when the client application
110 performs the operation 400 again, the client application 110
can download a second dataset that includes content resource
objects or data elements belonging to a given type. Whereas when
the client application 110 previously performed a template
execution operation of a given template module on objects of the
given type at a given level, the client application 110 now
generates presentation strings for objects of the given type by
performing a template execution operation of a different template
module on the objects of the given content resource object type.
The client application 110 can then render these presentation
strings. In some instances, it may not be necessary for a
programmer to rewrite the code of any of the template modules 206
in response to such a change to the schema 208.
[0067] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart for an example template
execution operation 500 and a flowchart for an example operation
550 to generate a presentation string for a child object. For ease
of explanation, this document explains the template execution
operation 500 and the operation 550 with reference to the template
module 206A. In some embodiments, the template execution operations
of each of the template modules 206 are similar to the template
execution operation 500.
[0068] The template execution operation 500 starts when the client
application 110 or the template execution operation of another
template module invokes the template execution operation 500 of the
template module 206A. For example, if the template module 206A
corresponds to a root level presentation of relevant types of
content resources in the dataset, the client application 110
invokes the template execution operation 500. However, if the
template module 206A corresponds to some other level or object type
in the dataset, the template execution operation of another
template module invokes the template execution operation 500.
[0069] When the template execution operation 500 is invoked, the
template module 206A receives a current context object in the
dataset (502). In various embodiments, the template module 206A
receives the current context object in various ways. For example,
some embodiments of the template execution operation 500 receive
the current context object as a parameter.
[0070] After receiving the current context object, the template
module 206A generates the current context object's presentation
string (504). In instances where the current object has one or more
child objects, the current object's presentation string can include
the child object's presentation strings.
[0071] When the template module 206A generates the current context
object's presentation string, the template module 206A can include
one or more pre-determined strings into the current cxt object's
presentation string. For example, the template module 206A can
include a string that comprises a series of tags into the current
context object's presentation string. This series of tags can
define a layout or formatting.
[0072] Furthermore, as part of generating the current context
object's presentation string, the template module 206A can perform
the operation 550 one or more times to generate the child objects'
presentation strings. After the operation 550 starts, the template
module 206A uses the schema 208 to identify a template module that
corresponds to a given child object of the current context object
(552). For instance, the template module 206A can determine, based
on the schema 208 mapping a content resource object type of the
given child object to the template module, that the template module
corresponds to the given object. For ease of explanation, this
document can refer to the template module corresponding to the
given child object as the given child object's template module.
[0073] After identifying the given child object's template module,
the template module 206A requests the given child object's template
module (554). If the cache 300 stores a given child object's
template module, the template module 206A retrieves the given child
object's template module from the cache 300 without sending a
request for the given child object's template module to the web
server 210. On the other hand, if the cache 300 does not store the
given child object's template module, the template execution
operation 500 sends a request to the web server 210 for the given
child object's template module. In either case, the client
application 110 subsequently receives the given child object's
template module (556). In other words, the client application 110
downloads the given child object's template module.
[0074] After receiving the given child object's template module,
the template module 206A generates a presentation string for the
given child object (558). The template module 206A generates the
presentation string for the given child object by invoking the
template execution operation of the given child object's template
module on the given child object.
[0075] For example, the following string can represent the current
context object:
TABLE-US-00002 Person { Name::Steven Jones;
Email_addr:sjones@contoso.com }
In this example, the current context object is of a "person"
content resource type, a first child object is of the "Name"
content resource object type, and a second child object is of the
"Email_addr" content resource object type. In this example, the
template module 206A generates a presentation string for the first
child object by performing the template execution operation of the
template module corresponding to the "Name" content resource object
type. For example, the template module 206A can generate the
following presentation string for the first child object:
[0076] Name: <b>STEVEN JONES</b>
In this example, the template module 206A generates a presentation
string for the second child object by performing the template
execution operation of the template module corresponding to the
"Email_addr" content resource type. For example, the template
module 206A can generate the following presentation string for the
second child object:
[0077] <i>Email address: </i><a
href="mailto:sjones@contoso.com">sjones@contoso.com</a>
[0078] Continuing the example from the previous paragraph, the
template module 206A can generate the following presentation string
for the current context object:
TABLE-US-00003 <table> <tr> <td>Name: <b>
STEVEN JONES </b> </td> <td> <i> Email
address: </i> <a
href="mailto:sjones@contoso.com">sjones@contoso.com</a>
</td> </tr> </table>
The reader will notice that the current cxt object's presentation
string includes the child objects' presentation strings as shown
above. In some embodiments, the template module 206A can modify one
or more of the child objects' presentation strings.
[0079] After generating the presentation string for the current
context object, the template module 206A returns the current
context object's presentation string to an operation that invoked
the template execution operation 500 (506). For example, if the
client application 110 invoked the template execution operation
500, the template module 206A returns the current context object's
presentation string to the client application 110. If another
template module's template execution operation invoked the template
execution operation 500, the template execution operation 500
returns the current context object's presentation string to the
other template module's template execution operation.
[0080] FIG. 6 is a screen illustration of an example search results
interface 600. The client application 110 can present the search
results interface 600 to the user 108 when the user 108 inputs a
search string into a user interface presented by the client
application 110. In the example of FIG. 6, the search results
interface 600 includes a search string field 602, a filled template
604, and a filled template 606. The filled template 604 is a set of
on-screen features describing a resource that satisfies the search
string. The filled template 606 is another set of on-screen
features describing another resource that satisfies the search
string. The filled template 604 includes fields 608A through 608C
(collectively, "fields 608"). The filled template 606 includes
fields 610A through 610E (collectively, "fields 610").
[0081] In the example of FIG. 6, the client application 110 can
receive the following dataset after sending the search string to
the server system 102:
TABLE-US-00004 Search_Results { Search_string::Contoso;
Word_processor_search_result { type_image::imgs/w.jpg;
title::Memorandum on Contoso Co. Account; snippet::The Contoso
account is very important to Northwind Traders. During the last
quarter, Northwind received $10k in orders from Contoso. In order
to...; } Presentation_search_result { type_image::imgs/p.jpg;
title::Contoso Sales Presentation; summary::Presentation given to
Jackie Fellows, Contoso COO, regarding our new line of doors and
windows. created::03/16/2011; modified::04/24/2011; author::Bill
Smith; author_img::imgs/billsmith.jpg; } }
Readers will understand that this dataset is for purposes of
explanation only. In other embodiments, datasets have other formats
and content.
[0082] After the client application 110 receives this dataset, the
client application 110 generates the presentation string
representing the search results interface 600. The client
application 110 generates the presentation string representing the
search results interface 600 by performing a template execution
operation of a template module that corresponds to the
"Search_Results" content resource type.
[0083] To generate the presentation string representing the search
results interface 600, the client application 110 generates a
presentation string representing the search string field 602 by
performing a template execution operation of a template module that
corresponds to the "Search_string" content resource type. In
addition, the client application 110 generates a presentation
string representing the filled template 604 by performing a
template execution operation of a template module that corresponds
to the "Word_processor_search_result" content resource type. In
this way, the filled template 604 is based on the template module
that corresponds to the "Word_processor_search_result" content
resource type. As part of generating the presentation string
representing the filled template 604, the client application 110
generates presentation strings representing the fields 608 by
performing template execution operations of template modules that
correspond to the "type_image," the "title," and the "snippet"
content resource types.
[0084] The client application 110 generates a presentation string
representing the filled template 606 by performing a template
execution operation of a template module that corresponds to the
"Presentation_search_result" content resource type. In this way,
the filled template 606 is based on the template module that
corresponds to the "Presentation_search_result" content resource
type. As part of generating the presentation string representing
the filled template 606, the client application 110 generates
presentation strings representing the fields 610 by performing
template execution operations of the template modules that
correspond to the "type_image," "title," "summary," "created,"
"modified," "author," and "author_img" content resource types.
[0085] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an alternate example
system 700. As illustrated in the example of FIG. 7, the system 700
comprises the server system 102, the client device 104, the network
106, and the user 108. As in the system 100, the server system 102
hosts the website 112 and the client device 104 provides the client
application 110. However, the system 700 also includes an admin
device 702 and an admin 704. In other embodiments, the system 700
can include more or fewer components. For example, some embodiments
of the system 700 include client devices in addition to the client
device 104.
[0086] The admin device 702 comprises one or more computing
devices. In various embodiments, the admin device 702 can comprise
various types of computing devices. For example, the admin device
702 can comprise one or more personal computers, standalone server
devices, laptop computers, blade server devices, smart phones,
tablet computers, network-enabled televisions or television set top
boxes, game consoles, telephones, in-car computers, appliances,
intermediate network devices, and/or other types of computing
devices. The admin device 702 is able to communicate with the
server system 102 using the network 106 or another network.
[0087] The admin 704 uses the admin device 702. The admin 704 is a
person responsible for performing administrative tasks on the
website 112. For example, the admin 704 can be responsible for
creating, configuring, and deleting resources in the website 112.
The admin 704 can be various types of people. For example, the
admin 704 can be an employee or contractor of a company associated
with the website 112 or an employee of another company.
[0088] Among other the administrative tasks that the admin 704
performs on the website 112, the admin 704 manages the template
modules 206 of the website 112. For example, the admin 704 can
develop or modify the template modules 206 of the website 112. As
described in detail elsewhere in this document, the admin 704 can
edit the template modules 206 by modifying generic presentation
strings for the template modules 206.
[0089] The generic presentation string of a given template module
is a presentation string is renderable to present an unfilled
template. In various embodiments, the presentation string conforms
to various presentation languages. For example, the generic
presentation string can conform to HTML.
[0090] The unfilled template includes one or more slots. The slots
indicate locations into which data based on content resource
objects in a dataset can be filled. Presentation strings generated
by performing the template execution operation of the given
template module on content resource objects belonging to a given
content resource type are renderable by the client application 110
to present filled versions of the given template. The filled
templates are on-screen features displayed to the user 108. In the
filled templates, data based on the objects belonging to the given
content resource object type replace the slots in the unfilled
template. In other words, the slots in the unfilled template are
replaced by data based on the objects. A filled template is based
on a template module where the filled template rendering is a
presentation string generated by the template execution operation
of the template module.
[0091] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the admin device 702
provides an editor application 706. The editor application 706
enables users to edit the generic presentation strings for the
template modules 206 by editing the generic on-screen features of
the template modules 206. Because the editor application 706
enables users to edit the generic on-screen features instead of the
underlying presentation strings or the template modules 206, the
editor application 706 may be characterized as a
What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) editor application. Example
WYSIWYG editor applications include VISUAL STUDIO.RTM. from
Microsoft Corp., EXPRESSION.RTM. from Microsoft Corp.,
DREAMWEAVER.RTM. from Adobe Systems, and so on. As described
elsewhere in this document, the admin 704 can use the editor
application 706 to edit the template modules 206.
[0092] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating example components of
an alternate embodiment of the server system 102. As illustrated in
the example of FIG. 8, the server system 102 comprises the data
storage system 200. As in the example of FIG. 2, the data storage
system 200 stores the content resources 202, the metadata 204, the
schema 208, and the template modules 206.
[0093] In addition, the data storage system 200 stores generic
template files 800A through 800N (collectively, "generic template
files 800"). Each of the generic template files 800 corresponds to
a different one of the template modules 206. Each of the generic
template files 800 stores the generic presentation string for the
corresponding template module. For example, the generic template
file 800A can store the generic presentation string for the
template module 206A and the generic template file 800N can store
the generic presentation string for the template module 206N.
[0094] In some embodiments, the generic template files 800 have
file name extensions that correspond to formats of the generic
presentation strings in the files. For example, if the generic
presentation strings in the generic template files 800 are
formatted as HTML data, the generic template files 800 can have the
file name extensions ".html" or ".htm".
[0095] As illustrated in the example of FIG. 8, the server system
102 provides the web server 210. In addition, the server system 102
provides a conversion system 802. The server system 102 can provide
the conversion system 802 by reading computer-executable
instructions from one or more computer readable media and executing
the computer-executable instructions. As described in detail
elsewhere in this document, the conversion system 802 uses the
generic presentation strings in the generic template files 800 to
generate the template modules 206.
[0096] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example unfilled
template 900. For ease of explanation, this document describes FIG.
9 with reference to the generic template file 800A and the template
module 206A. Readers will understand that the description of FIG. 9
may be applicable to other ones of the generic template files 800
and template modules 206.
[0097] The editor application 706 can generate the unfilled
template 900 by rendering a generic presentation string in the
generic template file 800A. In the example of FIG. 9, the unfilled
template 900 comprises slots 902A-902C (collectively, "slots 902").
In filled templates corresponding to the unfilled template 900, the
slots 902 are replaced by data based on objects in a dataset. The
generic presentation string defines sizes and positions of the
slots 902 in the unfilled template 900.
[0098] When the editor application 706 displays the unfilled
template 900, the admin 704 can use surrounding static literal
presentation string content to define the position and size of the
slots 902 within the unfilled template 900. Furthermore, the admin
704 can add fields to or remove fields from the unfilled template
900 or add other static literal presentation string content or
template module execution logic.
[0099] Each of the slots 902 is associated with a different object
of the given type and level. For example, a content resource object
belonging to the given type can include content resource objects
such as "title", "type_image", "snippet," and "URL" each of which
has a particular content resource object type. In this example, the
admin 704 can interact with the editor application 706 to associate
the slot 902A with the "type_image" content resource object, the
slot 902B with the "title" content resource object, and slot 902C
with the "snippet" content resource object.
[0100] After the admin 704 associates the slots 902 with child
object types, the admin 704 can configure the slots 902. For
example, the admin 704 can configure the slot 902C such that text
in the slot 902C has a particular style, such as italic. In another
example, the given content resource object type can include a child
object belonging to a "URL" content resource object type. In this
example, the admin 704 can use one or more graphical user
interfaces to configure the slot 902A such that text within the
slot 902A is a hyperlink to a URL specified by the child object
belonging to the "URL" content resource object type.
[0101] Furthermore, the admin 704 can add fixed text 904 or other
static features to the unfilled template 900. In the example of
FIG. 9, the admin 704 has added the fixed text "Presentation
Document" to the unfilled template 900. Consequently, when the
client application 110 presents filled templates based on the
template module 206A, the text "Presentation Document" appears as
an on-screen object in the filled templates.
[0102] When the admin 704 edits the unfilled template 900, the
editor application 706 updates the generic presentation string of
the given template module to reflect the changes to the unfilled
template 900. For example, the generic presentation string can
include <div> tags for each of the slots 902. In this
example, id attributes of the <div> tags indicate the child
object types associated with the slots 902. In this example, when
the admin 704 changes child object types associated with the slots
902, the editor application 706 change the values of the id
attributes of the <div> tags to reflect the new child object
types.
[0103] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation
1000 of the server system 102. The example of FIG. 10 is explained
with reference to the template module 206A and the generic template
file 800A. Readers will understand that the server system 102 can
perform similar operations with regard to other ones of the
template modules 206 and other ones of the generic template files
800.
[0104] After the operation 1000 begins, the server system 102
stores the template module 206A and the generic template file 800A
in the data storage system 200 (1002). In various embodiments, the
server system 102 performs various actions to store the template
module 206A and the generic template file 800A in the data storage
system 200. For example, some embodiments of the server system 102
receive the template module 206A without receiving the generic
template file 800A. In this example, the server system 102 can
generate the generic template file 800A from the template module
206A and store both the template module 206A and the generic
template file 800A to the data storage system 200. In another
example, some embodiments of the server system 102 receive the
generic template file 800A without receiving the template module
206A. In this example, the conversion system 802 can generate the
template module 206A from the generic template file 800A and store
both the template module 206A and the generic template file 800A to
the data storage system 200.
[0105] Next, the web server 210 receives a generic template request
from the editor application 706 (1004). The generic template
request comprises a request to retrieve the generic template file
800A. In response to the generic template request, the web server
210 sends the generic template file 800A to the editor application
706 (1006). After the editor application 706 receives the generic
template file 800A, the editor application 706 can update the
generic presentation string in the generic template file 800A,
thereby creating an updated version of the generic template file
800A.
[0106] The updated version of the generic presentation string can
differ from the earlier version of the presentation string in
various ways. For example, the updated version of the generic
presentation string can be renderable to present an updated version
of the unfilled template. In this example, the slots of the updated
version of the unfilled template may be different that the slots of
the earlier version of the unfilled template. In another example,
the updated version of the unfilled template may include different
text or images than the earlier version of the unfilled
template.
[0107] Subsequently, the web server 210 receives a save request
from the editor application (1008). Upon receiving the save
request, the web server 210 uses data in the save request to store
the updated version of the generic template file 800A in the data
storage system 200 (1010). In various embodiments, the save request
comprises various data. For example, in some embodiments, the save
request comprises a copy of the updated version of the generic
template file 800A. In this example, the web server 210 copies the
updated version of the generic template file 800A to the data
storage system 200. In another example, the save request comprises
data that indicate differences between the initial version of the
generic template file 800A and the updated version of the generic
template file 800A. In this example, the web server 210 uses the
differences to recreate the updated version of the generic template
file 800A. In this example, the web server 210 then stores the
recreated updated version of the generic template file 800A in the
data storage system 200.
[0108] After receiving the save request, the conversion system 802
uses the edited version of the generic template file 800A to
generate an updated version of the template module 206A (1012). In
some instances, the web server 210 replaces an earlier version of
the template module 206A in the data storage system 200 with the
updated version of the template module 206A.
[0109] Various embodiments of the conversion system 802 generate
the updated version of the template module 206A in various ways.
FIG. 11, described in detail below, illustrates one example way
that the conversion system 802 can generate the updated version of
the template module 206A. Readers will understand that the
conversion system 802 can perform other operations to generate the
updated version of the template module 206A.
[0110] At some time after the conversion system 802 generates the
updated version of the template module 206A, the web server 210
receives a template request from the client application 110 (1014).
The template request comprises a request for the template module
206A. In response to receiving the template request, the web server
210 sends the updated version of the template module 206A to the
client application (1016). The client application 110 can then use
the updated version of the template module 206A to generate
presentation strings renderable to present filled templates. Slots
in the unfilled template are replaced by data in the filled
templates.
[0111] In an alternate embodiment, the editor application 706
converts the updated version of the generic template file 800A to a
template module. In this example, the save request can comprise the
template module.
[0112] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example
transformation operation 1100 to generate a template module from a
generic presentation string. After the operation 1100 starts, the
conversion system 802 parses the generic presentation string to
find different kinds of logical sections. In one embodiment these
sections are delimited by several string tokens that are recognized
by the conversion system 802. Different kinds of logical sections
that might be recognized include, but are not limited to
conditional logic, looping logic, variable declarations, data
binding expressions, rendering expressions, other metadata or
information about the template module logic and literal
presentation content (1102).
[0113] In this example, the logical sections belong to a plurality
of types. For example, sections associated with variable
declaration, conditional logic choices or data structure looping
can be treated as one type, sections associated with data binding
or data rendering expressions can be treated as another type, and
literal content sections can be treated as yet another type. Each
section type is associated with a different output operation. The
output operations generate output strings based on content of the
section.
[0114] After the conversion system 802 generates the logical
sections, the conversion system 802 invokes the transformation and
output operation of the each of the sections (1104).
[0115] The logical section content strings can be static strings or
script strings. Static strings do not include instructions
evaluated during the execution of the template module 206A. For
example, "<table>" can be a static string. Script strings are
evaluated during the execution operation of the template module
206A.
[0116] After transforming the logical sections, the conversion
system 802 generates the output strings (1106). The conversion
system 802 writes the logical section output strings to the
template module 206A (1108). When the template execution operation
of the template module 206A is invoked, the template module 206A
generates a presentation string by evaluating the script strings in
the logical sections associated with variable declaration,
conditional choices and looping to control the template execution
logic and the sections associated with data binding and rendering
are executed to retrieve the data elements from the content
resources and combine them with the static literal content string
sections. The template module 206A then combines the resulting
strings into the filled template presentation string. For example,
the following may be a portion of a databinding and rendering
expression section:
`<H2>Title:`+$urlHtmlEncode(ctx.CurrentItem["Title"])+`</H2>`
In this example, the template module 206A can evaluate the
databinding and rendering expression and find the "Title" content
resource object of the current context object and generate the
presentation string by combining its value with the literal
presentation content strings. The client application 110 can render
this string to show an H2 element containing the text "Title: Sales
Figures. 2009" as header content recognized as level 2.
[0117] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation
1150 of the editor application 706. The example of FIG. 12 is
explained with reference to the template module 206A and the
generic template file 800A. Readers will understand that the server
system 102 can perform similar operations with regard to other ones
of the template modules 206 and other ones of the generic template
files 800.
[0118] After the operation 1150 starts, the editor application 706
starts (1152). In various embodiments, the editor application 706
starts in response to various events. For example, in some
embodiments, the editor application 706 starts in response to input
from the admin 708.
[0119] After the editor application 706 starts, the editor
application 706 sends a generic template request to the web server
210 (1154). The presentation data request comprises a request for
the generic template file 800A. After sending the generic template
request to the web server 210, the editor application 706 receives
the generic template file 800A from the server system 102
(1156).
[0120] In various embodiments, the generic template request
conforms to various communication protocols. For example, in some
embodiments, the generic template request conforms to the WebDAV
protocol. In another example, the generic template request conforms
to the File Transfer Protocol, the HTTP protocol, or another
communication protocol.
[0121] After receiving the generic template file 800A, the editor
application 706 renders the generic presentation string in the
generic template file 800A to present an unfilled template (1158).
During the time that the editor application 706 displays the
unfilled template, the editor application 706 receives input from
the admin 704 to edit the unfilled template (1160). For example,
the editor application 706 can receive input to add, remove,
reposition, or resize slots in the unfilled template. In another
example, the editor application 706 can receive input to add static
text, images, tables, or formatting to the unfilled template.
[0122] Subsequently, the editor application 706 receives save input
from the admin 704 (1162). In response to receiving the save input,
the editor application 706 sends a save request to the web server
210 (1164). As described above, one or more systems within the
server system 102 will process the data in the save request to
store the updated version of the generic template file 800A in the
data storage system 200.
[0123] FIG. 13 is a screen illustration showing a browser window
1200 containing an example search interface 1202 presented by the
client device 104. The user 108 uses one or more search interfaces
such as the search interface 1202 to search for resources in the
website 112. The search interfaces enable the user 108 to enter
search strings and submit search requests. The search requests
comprise requests for lists of resources in the website 112 that
satisfy the search strings. After receiving and accepting a search
request, the server system 102 provides a dataset to the client
device 104. The dataset includes data regarding the resources that
satisfy the search string of the search request.
[0124] As illustrated in the example of FIG. 13, the search
interface 1202 includes a textbox 1204 into which the user 108 can
enter a search string. The search interface 1202 also includes a
submit button 1206. The user 108 can select the submit button 1206
to provide a search request to the server system 102. The search
request specifies the search string entered in the textbox 1204. As
illustrated in the example of FIG. 13, the search interface 1202
can also include other features 1208, such as a title, text,
images, and so on. Furthermore, as illustrated in the example of
FIG. 13, presentation of the search features (i.e., the textbox
1204 and the submit button 1206) of the search interface 1202 may
not be the primary purpose of the search interface 1202.
Alternatively, a search request can be preconfigured and stored in
the system instead of being directly submitted by the user 108.
[0125] FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating example components
of an alternate embodiment of the server system 102. As illustrated
in the example of FIG. 14, the server system 102 comprises the data
storage system 200 and the web server 210. Although not illustrated
in the example of FIG. 14 for the sake of clarity, the data storage
system 200 can store the content resources 202, the metadata 204,
the template modules 206, the schema 208, the generic template
files 800, and other data. Furthermore, the server system 102 can
provide the conversion system 802.
[0126] In addition to the data storage system 200 and the web
server 210, the server system 102 provides a search system 1300.
The web server 210 and the search system 1300 can be provided by
the same or different computing devices within the server system
102. The server system 102 can provide the search system 1300 by
executing instructions stored on one or more computer storage
media.
[0127] The search system 1300 accesses a data storage system 1302.
The data storage system 1302 comprises one or more computer storage
media. In some embodiments, the computer storage media in the data
storage system 1302 are geographically dispersed. In other
embodiments, the computer storage media in the data storage system
1302 are located within a single device or data center.
Furthermore, in some embodiments, the data storage system 1302 is
part of the data storage system 200, or vice versa.
[0128] The data storage system 1302 stores a content index 1304, an
admin database 1306, and a result type cache 1308. The content
index 1304 comprises data structures for storing a set of entries.
Each of the entries in the content index 1304 stores properties of
different ones of the content resources 202. The admin database
1306 comprises data structures that store information regarding
result types.
[0129] FIG. 15 illustrates example contents of the content index
1304 and example contents of the admin database 1306. As
illustrated in the example of FIG. 15, the content index 1304
comprises a table having rows 1400A-C (collectively, "rows 1400")
and columns 1402A-G (collectively, "columns 1402"). The rows 1400
and the columns 1402 define an array of cells. The cells in each of
the rows 1400 correspond to a different entry in the content index
1304. The rows 1400 include entries for the content resources 202.
For example, the row 1400A corresponds to a particular resource and
the row 1400B corresponds to another resource. It will be
appreciated that the content index 1304 can include more or fewer
than three entries. The ellipses in the example of FIG. 15 indicate
that the content index 1304 can include additional rows.
Alternatively, the content index may store the data and resources
in a format that does not correspond to a table, and will return
collections of content resources 202 by accessing that data store
to return content resource objects.
[0130] Each of the columns 1402 corresponds to a different
property. In the example of FIG. 15, the columns 1402A-G correspond
to an "identifier" property, a "name" property, a "storage
location" property, a "date created" property, a "date modified"
property, and a "snippet" property, and an "author" property,
respectively. Other embodiments of the content index 1304 include
columns for more, fewer, or different properties.
[0131] As illustrated in the example of FIG. 15, the admin database
1306 includes a table having rows 1404A-C (collectively, "rows
1404") and columns 1406A-G (collectively, "columns 1406"). The rows
1404 and the columns 1406 define an array of cells. The cells in
each of the rows 1404 correspond to a different result type. For
example, the row 1404A corresponds to one result type and the row
1404B corresponds to a different result type. Each of the columns
1406 corresponds to different data element properties of the result
types. In the example of FIG. 15, the columns 1406A-F correspond to
an "identifier" property, a "name" property, a "description"
property, a "rule" property, a "template module" property, a
"priority" property, and an "applicable properties" property,
respectively. The values for the "rule" property in column 1406D
specify rules that define which resources belong to a result type.
The values for the "template module" property in column 1406E
identify one of the template modules 206 corresponding to the
result types. Other embodiments of the admin database 1306 include
columns for more, fewer, or different properties.
[0132] Continuing reference is now made again to the example of
FIG. 14. In addition to the data storage system 1302, the search
system 1300 provides a type management module 1310 and a search
module 1312. The search system 1300 can provide the type management
module 1310 and the search module 1312 by reading
computer-executable instructions from one or more computer-readable
media and executing the computer-executable instructions. The type
management module 1310 creates, edits, and deletes at least some of
the result type entries in the admin database 1306 in response to
the administrative input from the admin 704. For example, the type
management module 1310 can, in response to receiving the
administrative input from the admin 704, change a rule of a result
type or change which of the template modules 206 corresponds to a
result type. By causing the type management module 1310 to create,
edit, or delete result type entries in the admin database 1306, the
admin 704 can configure search result interfaces in the website 112
to display information about different types of search results in
different ways.
[0133] The search module 1312 receives the search requests from the
user 108. The user 108 can submit the search requests using search
interfaces, such as the search interface 1202. Upon receiving from
the client device 104 a search request for resources in the website
112 that satisfy a search string, the search module 1312 accesses
entries in the admin database 1306 to retrieve the rule properties
of the result types. Some embodiments use the result type cache
1308 to accelerate retrieval of the properties of the result types
from the admin database 1306. Upon receiving the rules of the
result types, the search module 1312 uses the content index 1304 to
identify ones of the content resources 202 in the website 112 that
satisfy conditions specified by the search string. The search
module 1312 retrieves, for each of the result types, the properties
of the identified resources needed to evaluate the rules of the
result types.
[0134] The search module 1312 evaluates the rules of the result
types against the retrieved properties of the identified resources
to determine result types of the identified resources. The search
module 1312 can use various algorithms to evaluate the rules. For
example, the search module 1312 can be implemented as a
forward-chaining rules engine.
[0135] After determining that a given resource belongs to a given
result type, the search module 1312 generates a content resource
object belonging to a type that corresponds to the given result
type's template module. The given resource's content resource
object includes each applicable data element property of the given
resource. The given resource's applicable properties are the
properties of the identified resource that are applicable to the
identified resource's result type. For example, if the "applicable
properties" property 1406G of identified resource's result type
designates the "snippet" property 1402F, the identified resource's
data element includes the identified resource's "snippet"
property.
[0136] After generating data elements for each of the identified
resources, the search module 1312 sends a dataset to the client
device 104. The dataset includes the rows and their data element
for the identified resources. In some embodiments the received data
can include schema and template modules data in the same package
with the dataset, in other embodiments the schema and template
modules may be cached in the client application or retrieved in a
separate step. When the client device 104 receives the dataset, the
client application 110 processes the dataset in the manner
described above.
[0137] FIG. 16 illustrates an example scope hierarchy 1500. In some
embodiments, the server system 102 hosts multiple distinct
websites. The server system 102 can host these websites on behalf
of a single organization. Alternately, a service provider entity
can operate the server system 102 and the server system 102 can
host these websites on behalf of multiple tenants. Tenants include
organizations, such as companies, or individuals that arrange with
a service provider entity of the server system 102 for the provider
to host websites for the tenants. From the point of view of a
tenant, the server system 102 only hosts the tenant's websites and
not the websites of other tenants. In some instances, the server
system 102 can host multiple websites for a single one of the
tenants. In such instances, the tenant can group two or more of its
websites into site groups. The tenant can authorize the admin 704
to perform administration tasks on one or more of the tenant's
websites, such as the website 112.
[0138] As illustrated in the example of FIG. 16, a tenant 1502 has
two site groups 1504A and 1504B (collectively, "site groups 1504").
The site group 1504A includes websites 1506A and 1506B. The site
group 1504B includes websites 1506C, 1506D, and 1506E. This
document can refer to the websites 1506A, 1506B, 1506C, 1506D, and
1506E collectively as "websites 1506." The website 112 can be one
of the websites 1506.
[0139] The server system 102 can provide multiple admin interfaces.
Each of the admin interfaces has a different scope. For example, a
first admin interface can have a tenant-wide scope, a second admin
interface can have a site group-wide scope, a third admin interface
can have a website-wide scope, and so on. In the example of FIG.
16, the server system 102 can provide an admin interface for the
tenant 1502, an admin interface for the site group 1504A, an admin
interface for the site group 1504B, and separate admin interfaces
for each of the websites 1506. The admin interface for the tenant
1502 enables the admin 704 to configure settings that are generally
applicable to the tenant 1502. The admin interfaces for the site
groups 1504 enable the admin 704 to independently configure the
site groups 1504. The admin interfaces for the websites 1506 enable
the admin 704 to independently configure the websites 1506.
[0140] The admin interfaces include type configuration interfaces.
Each type configuration interface is a user interface, such as a
GUI, that includes features that enable the admin 704 to configure
(e.g., create or modify) result types applicable within the type
configuration interface's scope. The type configuration interface's
scope is the same as the scope of the admin interface that includes
the type configuration interface. For example, the admin 704 can
use the type configuration interface within the admin interface for
the website 1506A to configure result types applicable to the
website 1506A. When the admin 704 uses a type configuration
interface within the admin interface for one of the site groups
1504, the given result type is applicable to each website in the
site group. For example, the admin 704 can use the type
configuration interface within the admin interface for the site
group 1504B to configure result types applicable to websites in the
site group 1504B, but not result types applicable to websites in
the site group 1504A.
[0141] FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation
1600 to configure a result type. In the operation 1600, the type
management module 1310 receives template configuration input from
the admin device 702 (1602). The template configuration input
specifies information about a new or existing template module. The
type management module 1310 updates the template modules 206 in
response to the template configuration input (1604). For instance,
the type management module 1310 can store a new template module in
the data storage system 200 or modify an existing one of the
template modules 206 in the data storage system 200.
[0142] In various embodiments, the type management module 1310
receives the template configuration input in various ways. For
example, in some embodiments, the type management module 1310
receives the template configuration input from a separate
application, such as a web design suite or an integrated
development environment. In other embodiments, the type management
module 1310 provides data representing a template configuration
interface to the admin device 702. For example, the type management
module 1310 can provide HTML data, CSS data, scripting data, and or
other types of data that the admin device 702 can render or
interpret to present the template configuration interface to the
admin 704. The template configuration interface includes features
that enable the admin 704 to create a new template module or edit
an existing one of the template modules 206.
[0143] Furthermore, in the operation 1600, the type management
module 1310 provides admin interface data to the admin device 702
(1606). The admin interface data represents a type configuration
interface within an admin interface. For instance, the admin
interface data can represent a type configuration interface within
an admin interface for the tenant 1502, admin interfaces for the
site groups 1504, or admin interfaces for the websites 1506.
[0144] The type configuration interface is a user interface that
enables the admin 704 to configure a given result type. In various
embodiments, the type configuration interface comprises various
types of user interfaces. For example, the type configuration
interface can comprise a GUI that includes features, such as data
entry features, that enable the admin 704 to configure (e.g.,
create or modify) a given result type. In another example, the type
configuration interface can be a command line interface, such as a
POWERSHELL.TM. interface.
[0145] In various embodiments, the admin interface data can include
various types of data. For example, the admin interface data can
include Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) data, Cascading Style
Sheet (CSS) data, scripting data, and other types of data. In this
example, a web browser application or another application operating
on the admin device 702 renders or processes the admin interface
data to present the type configuration interface.
[0146] FIG. 18 is a screen illustration of a browser window 1700
containing an example type configuration interface 1702. The type
management module 1310 can provide the admin interface data
representing the type configuration interface 1702 to the admin
device 702. A browser application running on the admin device 702
renders the admin interface data to display the type configuration
interface 1702. This document describes features of the example
type configuration interface 1702 in relation to steps in the
operation 1600.
[0147] Continuing reference is now made again to the example of
FIG. 17. After providing the admin interface data to the admin
device 702, the type management module 1310 receives name input,
description input, and priority input from the admin 704 (1608).
The name input specifies a display name for the given result type.
For example, the name input can specify "Technical Specification
Type" or "Sideshow Type" as display names for the given result
type. The description input specifies a textual description of the
given result type. For example, the description input can specify
"The Technical Specification Type is used in search result pages to
display information about technical specification documents." The
priority input specifies a priority for the given result type. For
example, the admin 704 can assign a priority of "10" to the given
result type and assign a priority of "4" to another result type.
The search module 1312 can use the priorities of the result types
to select a result type for a resource from among multiple result
types applicable to the resource.
[0148] In various embodiments, the type management module 1310
receives the name input, the description input, and the priority
input in various ways. For example, the type configuration
interface 1702 of FIG. 18 includes a display name feature 1704, a
description feature 1705, and a priority feature 1710. The admin
704 is able to enter a display name for the given result type in
the display name feature 1704. The admin 704 is able to enter a
description of the given result type in the description feature
1705. The admin 704 is able to use the priority feature 1710 to
select a priority level. In addition, the type configuration
interface 1702 includes a save control 1706. When the admin 704
selects the save control 1706, the admin device 702 provides data
entered in the controls of the type configuration interface 1702 to
the type management module 1310. In this way, the type management
module 1310 receives name input specifying the display name entered
by the admin 704 in the display name feature 1704, description
input specifying the description entered by the admin 704 in the
description feature 1705, and priority input specifying the
priority level selected by the admin 704 in the priority feature
1710. In some instances, this document refers to data entered in a
data entry control as data corresponding to the data entry
control.
[0149] Reference is made again to the example of FIG. 17.
Furthermore, the type management module 1310 receives rule input
from the admin 704 (1610). The rule input specifies a rule
containing one or more conditions that resources must satisfy in
order to be considered to belong to the given result type. In
various embodiments, the type management module 1310 receives the
rule input in various ways.
[0150] For example, the type configuration interface 1702 of FIG.
18 includes a rule feature 1708. The admin 704 can enter a rule for
the given result type in the rule feature 1708. For example, the
admin 704 can make the given result type applicable to resources
having a given file name extension by entering the given file name
extension in the rule feature 1708. In this example, the admin 704
can enter the file name extensions ".docx" and ".doc" in the rule
feature 1708 to make resources having file name extensions ".docx"
or ".doc" belong to the given result type.
[0151] In another example, the admin 704 can enter one or more URL
patterns in the rule feature 1708. For example, the admin 704 can
enter the URL pattern "/docs/spec_*" in the rule feature 1708. In
this example, resources having URLs that start with the sub-string
"/docs/spec_" can belong to the given result type. Use of URL
patterns as conditions in a rule for a result type can be helpful
when an entity uses particular directories or file naming
conventions to distinguish different types of resources. For
example, the entity can use a file naming convention that requires
all technical specification documents to begin with the string
"spec" and requires all invention records to begin with the string
"invent." In this example, the admin 704 can take advantage of this
file naming convention to associate technical specification
documents and invention records with different result types. This
is one example way that resources having the same file format can
belong to different result types. For instance, a first resource
and a second resource can both be word processor documents, slide
presentation documents, webpages, PDF documents, spreadsheet
documents, images, audio files, video files, or other types of
documents having the same file format, but belong to different
result types.
[0152] In other examples, the admin 704 can specify rules having
conditions based on other types of conditions and combinations of
conditions. For example, the admin 704 can specify a rule having
conditions based on creation times, edit times, titles, or other
properties of the content resources 202.
[0153] When the admin 704 selects the save control 1706, the admin
device 702 provides the information entered into the rule feature
1708 to the type management module 1310. In this way, the type
management module 1310 receives rule input specifying the rule
entered by the admin 704 in the rule feature 1708.
[0154] Continuing reference is now made again to FIG. 17.
Furthermore, the type management module 1310 receives template
selection input from the admin 704 (1612). The template selection
input associates the given result type with one of the template
modules 206 stored in the data storage system 200. In some
instances, the template selection input can indicate the template
module that the admin 704 created or edited in step 1602.
[0155] In various embodiments, the type management module 1310
receives the template selection input in various ways. For example,
the type configuration interface 1702 of FIG. 18 includes a
template selection control 1712. The admin 704 is able to enter a
URL or other identifier of a template module in the template
selection control 1712. In the example of FIG. 18, the template
selection control 1712 is a text box. However, in other
embodiments, the template selection control 1712 is a drop box. In
such embodiments, the template selection control 1712 displays a
list of names of the template modules 206. The admin 704 can then
select one of the template modules from among the list of names of
the template modules 206 in the template selection control 1712.
When the admin 704 selects the save control 1706, the admin device
702 provides template selection input to the type management module
1310. The template selection input indicates the template module
selected in the template selection control 1712 by the admin
704.
[0156] Reference is now made again to the example of FIG. 17. The
type management module 1310 receives property selection input from
the admin 704 (1614). The property selection input indicates the
applicable properties of the given result type.
[0157] In various embodiments, the type management module 1310
receives property selection input from the admin 704 in various
ways. For example, the type configuration interface 1702 of FIG. 18
includes an available properties field 1714 and an applicable
properties field 1716. The available properties field 1714 contains
a list of properties of resources. The applicable properties field
1716 contains a list of the applicable properties of the given
result type. The admin 704 can make one of properties listed in the
available properties field 1714 into an applicable property of the
given result type by moving the property from the available
properties field 1714 to the applicable properties field 1716.
[0158] When the admin 704 selects the save control 1706, the admin
device 702 provides the list of properties in the applicable
properties field 1716 to the type management module 1310. In this
way, the type management module 1310 receives property selection
input specifying the applicable properties of the given result
type.
[0159] Subsequently, the type management module 1310 stores in the
admin database 1306 a new or updated entry for the given result
type (1616). The entry for the given result type includes a set of
properties. These properties include a name property that specifies
the type name indicated by the name input, a description property
that specifies the description specified by the description input,
a priority property that specifies the priority level specified by
the priority input, a rule property that specifies a rule indicated
by the rule input, a template property that specifies the template
module indicated by the template selection input, and an applicable
properties property that specifies the properties indicated by the
property selection input.
[0160] It should be appreciated that the server system 102 can
perform some or all of the operation 1600 multiple times. As a
result, the server system 102 can provide admin interface data to
the admin device 702 multiple times and receive name input, rule
input, priority selection input, template configuration input, and
template selection input multiple times for multiple different
result types. Thus, by performing at least some of the operation
1600 multiple times, the admin 704 can provide administrative input
associating a first template module with a first result type and
administrative input associating a second template module with a
second result type. Likewise, by performing at least some of the
operation 1600 multiple times, the admin 704 can provide
administrative input to associate a given name, rule, template
module, or priority with a first result type and then later provide
additional administrative input to associate a different name,
rule, template module or priority with the first result type.
[0161] FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation
1800 to search for resources in a target website. In the operation
1800, the search module 1312 receives a search request from the
user 108 (1802). The search request requests a list of resources in
the target website that satisfy a search string specified by the
search request. For ease of explanation, this document assumes that
the target website is the website 112. In some embodiments, the
search module 1312 receives the search request when the user 108
selects the submit button 1206 in the search interface 1202 (FIG.
12).
[0162] The search string in the search request specifies one or
more conditions. For example, the search request can comprise the
following search string: "Contoso." In this example, resources
associated with the word "Contoso" satisfy the search string. In
another example, the search request can comprise the following
search string: "Contoso and created-before: Jul. 1, 2009." In this
example, resources that are associated with the word "Contoso" and
that were created before Jul. 1, 2009 satisfy the conditions of the
search string. In various embodiments, the search module 1312 can
accept search strings conforming to various query formats. For
example, some embodiments of the search module 1312 can accept
search strings conforming to the Advanced Query Syntax (AQS).
[0163] After receiving the search request, the search module 1312
retrieves result types from the admin database 1306 (1804). The
search module 1312 identifies search results for the search request
(1806). The search results for the search request are resources of
the website 112 that satisfy conditions specified by the search
string in the search request. For example, the search module 1312
can determine that a first resource of the website 112 and a second
resource of the website 112 satisfy the conditions specified by the
search string. In this example, the first resource and the second
resource are search results for the search request.
[0164] As discussed above, the server system 102 can host multiple
websites. These websites can be associated with one or more
tenants. In many instances, the search module 1312 does not
identify or provide information about resources that satisfy the
search string of the search request but that are not in the target
website for the search request (e.g., the website 112). If the
search module 1312 were to provide search results from websites
other than the target website, the user could become confused,
private information could be revealed, or other negative
consequences could occur.
[0165] Various embodiments of the search module 1312 identify
search results for the search request in various ways. For example,
the search module 1312 can perform a linear scan of the content
index 1304 to identify the search results. In another example, the
search module 1312 can use another index to identify the search
results.
[0166] After the search module 1312 identifies the search results
for the search request, the search module 1312 identifies result
types for each of the search results (1808). To identify a result
type for a search result, the search module 1312 evaluates rules
for result types. The result type entries in the admin database
1306 include properties that specify the rules for the result
types. If the search result satisfies a rule for a result type, the
search result belongs to that result type. To determine whether a
search result satisfies a rule for a result type, the search module
1312 may need to retrieve one or more properties of the search
result from the content index 1304.
[0167] In some instances, a search result can belong to multiple
result types. In other words, the search result can satisfy the
conditions of rules for multiple result types. For example, search
results can belong to a first result type when the search results
have the file name extension ".pptx." Furthermore, in this example,
search results can belong to a second result type when the search
results have URLs that include the string "spec." In this example,
a particular search result can have the file name extension ".pptx"
and have also have a URL that includes the string "spec."
[0168] Because search results can belong to multiple result types,
the search module 1312 performs conflict resolution operations as
needed to select one result type for the search results from among
the multiple applicable result types (1810). In various
embodiments, the search module 1312 can perform various conflict
resolution operations to select a particular one of the result
types for the search result. For example, the search module 1312
can perform a conflict resolution operation that involves
hierarchical collections of websites. As described above, the
server system 102 can host multiple websites 1506 for the tenant
1502. In this example, the tenant 1502 has grouped the websites
1506 into the site groups 1504. Furthermore, in this example,
result types associated with elements lower on the scope hierarchy
1500 take precedence in the conflict resolution operation over
relatively higher elements in the scope hierarchy 1500. For
instance, the admin 704 can specify that the scope of a first
result type is the website 1506A and can specify that the scope of
a second result type is the site group 1504A. In this instance, if
a search result belongs to both the first result type and the
second result type, the conflict resolution operation chooses the
first result type for the search result instead of the second
result type because the first result type is associated with a
lower element in the scope hierarchy 1500.
[0169] In another example conflict resolution operation, the admin
704 can assign numerical priorities to result types. For instance,
the admin 704 can assign a priority of "10" to a first result type
and a priority of "4" to a second result type. In this instance, a
search result can satisfy the rules for the first result type and
the second result type. However, the conflict resolution operation
assigns the first result type to the search result and not the
second result type because the first result type has a higher
priority number than the second result type. In yet another example
conflict resolution operation, the search module 1312 chooses the
result type that was created earlier or listed earlier in the
content index 1304.
[0170] After identifying the result types, the search module 1312
retrieves applicable properties of the search results from the
content index 1304 (1812). The applicable properties of a search
result are properties of the search result designated as the
applicable properties of the search result's result type. For
example, the search result's result type can designate a "URL"
property and a "Snippet" property as applicable properties. In this
example, the search module 1312 retrieves the value of the "URL"
property and the value of the "Snippet" property from the search
result's entry in the content index 1304.
[0171] After the search module 1312 retrieves the applicable
properties of the search result, the search module 1312 generates a
dataset and sends the dataset to the client device 104 (1814). The
dataset includes result data for at least some of the identified
search results. The result data for a search result includes the
applicable properties of the search result.
[0172] After the search module 1312 provides the dataset to the
client device 104, the web server 210 receives requests from the
client device 104 for the template modules 206 that correspond to
the types of content resource objects in the dataset (1816). In
response to the requests, the web server 210 retrieves the template
modules from the data storage system 200 and sends the template
modules to the client device 104 (1818). After the client device
104 receives the template modules, the client application 110
performs the content generation script. Performance of the content
generation script causes the template execution operations of the
template modules to be performed on content resource objects in the
dataset, thus generating presentation strings for different ones of
the identified resources. The client application 110 renders the
presentation strings for the search results to present sets of
on-screen features describing the identified resources.
[0173] In some embodiments, the search module 1312 provides the
dataset to the client device 104 at the same time as parts of a
larger set of data representing a search result web page. In other
embodiments, the search module 1312 sends the dataset to the client
device 104 separate from a webpage that contains a listing of the
search results. In some such embodiments, the search module 1312
can provide the dataset to the client device 104 using AJAX
technology.
[0174] It will be appreciated that the server system 102 can
perform the operation 1800 multiple times. Consequently, the server
system 102 can receive multiple search requests for multiple
webpages and can provide different datasets as a result of
different search strings, changes to result types, changes to
template modules, and various other factors.
[0175] Reference is now made again to the example of FIG. 6. As
discussed above, the client application 110 can display the search
results interface 600 after the client application 110 sends a
search request to the server system 102 and the client application
110 receives data from the server system 102 representing the
search results interface 600.
[0176] The search results interface 600 includes the filled
template 604 and the filled template 606. The filled template 604
corresponds to a first search result and the filled template 606
corresponds to a second search result. In some instances, the user
108 can expose filled templates for additional search results by
scrolling the search results interface 600. Furthermore, in some
instances, search results are paginated across multiple webpages.
In such instances, the user 108 can expose additional filled
template modules by clicking on a link (not shown) to a next
webpage or performing another action to expose the filled template
modules for additional search results.
[0177] As illustrated in the example of FIG. 6, the search results
interface 600 presents different information for different types of
search results. Presenting different information for different
types of search results can be advantageous for several reasons.
For example, it might not be useful to provide a snippet from a
slide presentation document because slide presentation documents
might not include text representative of the content of the slide
presentation document. In contrast, word processor documents are
more likely to include text that is representative of the content
of the word processor documents. In this example, it may be more
helpful to a user to see snippets of word processor documents than
slide presentation documents. Thus, the ability of the admin 704 to
configure the server system 102 to present different information
for different types of search results in a website may enable users
to get useful information in search result interfaces. Furthermore,
because the admin 704 is able to configure and create result types
and to define which resources belong to particular result types,
the admin 704 may be able to configure the server system 102 to
present information about search results in ways that are unique to
the admin's organization.
[0178] Furthermore, the use of user interfaces, such as GUIs, to
configure the server system 102 may enable less-experienced admins
to quickly and cheaply configure the server system 102 to present
different information for different types of search results. For
instance, the admin 704 does not need to understand or know how to
edit XSLT code, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, C++, Perl, or other formal
machine-interpretable code in order to configure the server system
102 to provide different information for different types of search
results. Rather, the above description explains how the admin 704
can use data entry controls in GUIs to configure the server system
102. Example data entry controls include textboxes, drop boxes,
check boxes, text area elements, radio buttons, text areas,
buttons, other features of HTML forms, and other user interface
features that enable entry of data.
[0179] FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating an example computing
device 1900. In some embodiments, the server system 102, the client
device 104, and the admin device 702 are implemented as one or more
computing devices like the computing device 1900. It should be
appreciated that in other embodiments, the server system 102, the
client device 104, and the admin device 702 are implemented using
computing devices having hardware components other than those
illustrated in the example of FIG. 20.
[0180] As used herein, the term computer readable media may include
computer storage media and communication media. As used in this
document, a computer storage medium is a device or article of
manufacture that stores data and/or computer-executable
instructions. A computer storage medium does not consist of
transitory signals. Computer storage media may include volatile and
nonvolatile, removable and non-removable devices or articles of
manufacture implemented in any method or technology for storage of
information, such as computer readable instructions, data
structures, program modules, or other data. By way of example, and
not limitation, computer storage media may include dynamic random
access memory (DRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random
access memory (DDR SDRAM), reduced latency DRAM, DDR2 SDRAM, DDR3
SDRAM, solid state memory, read-only memory (ROM),
electrically-erasable programmable ROM, optical discs (e.g.,
CD-ROMs, DVDs, etc.), magnetic disks (e.g., hard disks, floppy
disks, etc.), magnetic tapes, and other types of devices and/or
articles of manufacture that store data. Communication media may be
embodied by computer readable instructions, data structures,
program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as
a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any
information delivery media. The term "modulated data signal" may
describe a signal that has one or more characteristics set or
changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By
way of example, and not limitation, communication media may include
wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and
wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared,
and other wireless media.
[0181] In the example of FIG. 20, the computing device 1900
comprises a memory 1902, a processing system 1904, a secondary
storage device 1906, a network interface card 1908, a video
interface 1910, a display unit 1912, an external component
interface 1914, and a communications medium 1916. The memory 1902
includes one or more computer storage media capable of storing data
1918 and/or computer-executable instructions 1920.
[0182] The secondary storage device 1906 includes one or more
computer storage media. The secondary storage device 1906 stores
data 1922 and computer-executable instructions 1924 not directly
accessible by the processing system 1904. In other words, the
processing system 1904 performs an I/O operation to retrieve data
and/or software instructions from the secondary storage device
1906.
[0183] The processing system 1904 includes one or more processing
units. A processing unit is a physical device or article of
manufacture comprising one or more integrated circuits that read
data and instructions from computer readable media, such as the
memory 1902 and the secondary storage device 1906, and selectively
execute the instructions. In various embodiments, the processing
system 1904 is implemented in various ways. For example, the
processing system 1904 can be implemented as one or more processing
cores. In another example, the processing system 1904 can comprise
one or more separate microprocessors. In yet another example
embodiment, the processing system 1904 can comprise an
application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that provides
specific functionality. In yet another example, the processing
system 1904 provides specific functionality by using an ASIC and by
executing computer-executable instructions.
[0184] The network interface card 1908 is a device or article of
manufacture that enables the computing device 1900 to send data to
and receive data from a communication network. In different
embodiments, the network interface card 1908 is implemented in
different ways. For example, the network interface card 1908 can be
implemented as an Ethernet interface, a token-ring network
interface, a fiber optic network interface, a wireless network
interface (e.g., Wi-Fi, WiMax, etc.), or another type of network
interface.
[0185] The video interface 1910 enables the computing device 1900
to output video information to the display unit 1912. The display
unit 1912 can be various types of devices for displaying video
information, such as a cathode-ray tube display, an LCD display
panel, a plasma screen display panel, a touch-sensitive display
panel, an LED screen, or a projector. The video interface 1910 can
communicate with the display unit 1912 in various ways, such as via
a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, a VGA connector, a digital
visual interface (DVI) connector, an S-Video connector, a
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) interface, or a
DisplayPort connector.
[0186] The external component interface 1914 enables the computing
device 1900 to communicate with external devices. For example, the
external component interface 1914 can be a USB interface, a
FireWire interface, a serial port interface, a parallel port
interface, a PS/2 interface, and/or another type of interface that
enables the computing device 1900 to communicate with external
devices. In various embodiments, the external component interface
1914 enables the computing device 1900 to communicate with various
external components, such as external storage devices, input
devices, speakers, modems, media player docks, other computing
devices, scanners, digital cameras, and fingerprint readers.
[0187] The communications medium 1916 facilitates communication
among the hardware components of the computing device 1900. In the
example of FIG. 20, the communications medium 1916 facilitates
communication among the memory 1902, the processing system 1904,
the secondary storage device 1906, the network interface card 1908,
the video interface 1910, and the external component interface
1914. The communications medium 1916 can be implemented in various
ways. For example, the communications medium 1916 can comprise a
PCI bus, a PCI Express bus, an accelerated graphics port (AGP) bus,
a serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interconnect, a
parallel ATA interconnect, a Fiber Channel interconnect, a USB bus,
a Small Computing system Interface (SCSI) interface, or another
type of communications medium.
[0188] The memory 1902 stores various types of data and/or software
instructions. For instance, in the example of FIG. 12, the
computer-executable instructions 1920 in the memory 1902 can
include Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) instructions 1926 and
operating system instructions 1928. Execution of the BIOS
instructions 1926 by the processing system 1904 causes the
computing device 1900 to boot up. Execution of the operating system
instructions 1928 causes the computing device 1900 to provide an
operating system that coordinates the activities and sharing of
resources of the computing device 1900. Furthermore, the memory
1902 stores application software 1930. Execution of the application
software 1930 by the processing system 1904 causes the computing
device 1900 to provide one or more applications. The memory 1902
also stores data 1918. The data 1918 is data used by programs that
execute on the computing device 1900.
[0189] The various embodiments described above are provided by way
of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting. Those
skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and
changes that may be made without following the example embodiments
and applications illustrated and described herein. For example, the
operations shown in the figures are merely examples. In various
embodiments, similar operations can include more or fewer steps
than those shown in the figures. Furthermore, in other embodiments,
similar operations can include the steps of the operations shown in
the figures in different orders. Although the subject matter has
been described in language specific to structural features and/or
methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter
defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the
specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific
features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of
implementing the claims.
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